Prosecutors allege that Patricia Martin, defrauded former airman Oscar Wilkerson Jr.. In 2007, former President George W. Bush presented the veteran with the Congressional Gold Medal for heroic military service.
When Wilkerson entered a nursing home in 2020 due to declining health, Patricia Martin, as niece of Wilkerson’s ex-wife took over the management of his financial affairs. Last summer, a notice came in the veteran’s name for a $41 296 debt owed to the nursing home. Later, it was learned that his current bank accounts were empty and all social security payments plus his pension were missing. Law enforcement officials found that Martin invested $100 000 of the funds entrusted to her in cryptocurrencies, but did not specify which ones.
The veteran died a natural death in February. The ex-judge was sued by Wilkerson’s 96-year-old wife, accusing her niece of abusing her trust to embezzle other people’s funds and then making false statements in an attempt to cover up the theft.
District Judge Anna Demacopoulos ordered Martin to pay more than $1.2 million in damages. Demacopoulos noted that Martin failed to appear in court and comment on the charges against her, thereby showing contempt of court.
Recently, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) charged Florida-based US legal counsel Philip Reichenthal with a $5.3 million cryptocurrency fraud.